ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bark — to shout
  3. vault — a safe
  4. drill — the tool
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. capital — money
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. wax — to grow
  16. saw — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. capital — a city
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. drill — a practice
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com